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Communications

Internet country code [time series]

.qa

Internet users (Internet hosts) [time series]

19 (2007)

Internet users [time series]

289,900 (2006)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1998)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern system centered in Doha domestic: NA international: country code - 974; tropospheric scatter to Bahrain; microwave radio relay to Saudi Arabia and UAE; submarine cable to Bahrain and UAE; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean) and 1 Arabsat

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

228,300 (2006)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

919,800 (2006)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

1 (plus 3 repeaters) (2001)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

fruits, vegetables; poultry, dairy products, beef; fish

Budget [time series]

revenues: $20.84 billion expenditures: $16.89 billion (2006 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency (code)) [time series]

Qatari rial (QAR)

Current account balance [time series]

$9.948 billion (2006 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$25.7 billion (2006 est.)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$NA (2004)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Oil and gas account for more than 60% of GDP, roughly 85% of export earnings, and 70% of government revenues. Oil and gas have made Qatar one of the world's faster growing and higher per-capita income countries - in 2006 per-capita income equaled that of the EU. Sustained high oil prices and increased natural gas exports in recent years have helped build Qatar's budget and trade surpluses and foreign reserves. Proved oil reserves of more than 15 billion barrels should ensure continued output at current levels for 23 years. Qatar's proved reserves of natural gas exceed 25 trillion cubic meters, more than 5% of the world total and third largest in the world. Qatar has permitted substantial foreign investment in the development of its gas fields during the last decade and is expected to become the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter in 2007. Qatar is also trying to attract foreign investment in the development of its non-energy projects by further liberalizing the economy.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

12.52 billion kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production [time series]

13.54 billion kWh (2005)

Exchange rates [time series]

Qatari rials per US dollar - 3.64 (2006), 3.64 (2005), 3.64 (2004), 3.64 (2003), 3.64 (2002)

Exports [time series]

$30.37 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum products, fertilizers, steel

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 40.5%, South Korea 16.5%, Singapore 6.6%, Thailand 4.2% (2006)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$30.76 billion (2006 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$26.37 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 0.1% industry: 75.8% services: 24.1% (2006 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$29,800 (2006 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

7.1% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$12.36 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and transport equipment, food, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

France 13.4%, Japan 10.2%, US 9.3%, Italy 8.9%, Germany 7.8%, UK 6.3%, Saudi Arabia 5.8%, South Korea 4.7% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

10% (2003 est.)

Industries [time series]

crude oil production and refining, ammonia, fertilizers, petrochemicals, steel reinforcing bars, cement, commercial ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

11.8% (2006 est.)

Investment (gross fixed) [time series]

38.7% of GDP (2006 est.)

Labor force [time series]

508,000 (2006 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$61.56 billion (2006)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

17.93 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

25.99 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2005)

Natural gas - production [time series]

43.93 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

24.73 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption [time series]

80,000 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports [time series]

NA bbl/day

Oil - production [time series]

790,500 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - proved reserves [time series]

15.2 billion bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Public debt [time series]

26.8% of GDP (2006 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$5.393 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$2.525 billion (2006 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$10.63 billion (2006 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

3.2% (2006 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 11,437 sq km land: 11,437 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Connecticut

Climate [time series]

arid; mild, pleasant winters; very hot, humid summers

Coastline [time series]

563 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Qurayn Abu al Bawl 103 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

limited natural fresh water resources are increasing dependence on large-scale desalination facilities

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

25 30 N, 51 15 E

Geography - note [time series]

strategic location in central Persian Gulf near major petroleum deposits

Irrigated land [time series]

130 sq km (2002)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 60 km border countries: Saudi Arabia 60 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0.27% other: 98.09% (2005)

Location [time series]

Middle East, peninsula bordering the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: as determined by bilateral agreements or the median line

Natural hazards [time series]

haze, dust storms, sandstorms common

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, fish

Terrain [time series]

mostly flat and barren desert covered with loose sand and gravel

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

10 municipalities (baladiyat, singular - baladiyah); Ad Dawhah, Al Ghuwayriyah, Al Jumayliyah, Al Khawr, Al Wakrah, Ar Rayyan, Jarayan al Batinah, Madinat ash Shamal, Umm Sa'id, Umm Salal

Capital [time series]

name: Doha geographic coordinates: 25 17 N, 51 32 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution [time series]

ratified by public referendum on 29 April 2003, endorsed by the amir on 8 June 2004, effective on 9 June 2005

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: State of Qatar conventional short form: Qatar local long form: Dawlat Qatar local short form: Qatar note: closest approximation of the native pronunciation falls between cutter and gutter, but not like guitar

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); charge d'Affaires Michael A. RATNEY embassy: Al-Luqta District, 22 February Road, Doha mailing address: P. O. Box 2399, Doha telephone: [974] 488 4298 FAX: [974] 488 4176

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) chancery: 2555 M Street NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603 FAX: [1] (202) 237-0061 consulate(s) general: Houston

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani (since 27 June 1995 when, as crown prince, he ousted his father, Amir KHALIFA bin Hamad al-Thani, in a bloodless coup); Crown Prince TAMIM bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, fourth son of the monarch (selected Heir Apparent by the monarch on 5 August 2003); note - Amir HAMAD also holds the positions of Minister of Defense and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces head of government: Prime Minister HAMAD bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani (since 3 April 2007); Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah bin Hamad al-ATIYAH (since 3 April 2007) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch elections: none; the monarch is hereditary note: in April 2003, Qatar held nationwide elections for a 29-member Central Municipal Council (CMC), which has consultative powers aimed at improving the provision of municipal services; the first election for the CMC was held in March 1999

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

maroon with a broad white serrated band (nine white points) on the hoist side

Government type [time series]

emirate

Independence [time series]

3 September 1971 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AMF, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UN Security Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

Courts of First Instance, Appeal, and Cassation; note - the Amir appoints all judges - based on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council - for renewable three-year terms

Legal system [time series]

based on Islamic and civil law codes; discretionary system of law controlled by the amir, although civil codes are being implemented; Islamic law dominates family and personal matters; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (35 seats; members appointed) note: no legislative elections have been held since 1970 when there were partial elections to the body; Council members have had their terms extended every four years since; the new constitution, which came into force on 9 June 2005, provides for a 45-member Consultative Council, or Majlis al-Shura; the public would elect two-thirds of the Majlis al-Shura; the amir would appoint the remaining members; preparations are underway to conduct elections to the Majlis al-Shura in late 2007

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day, 3 September (1971)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

none

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

none

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

Ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world.

Military

Manpower available for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 302,873 females age 18-49: 137,856 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service [time series]

males age 18-49: 238,566 females age 18-49: 116,595 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually [time series]

males age 18-49: 7,851 females age 18-49: 7,040 (2005 est.)

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Qatari Amiri Land Force (QALF), Qatari Amiri Navy (QAN), Qatari Amiri Air Force (QAAF) (2007)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

10% (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

18 years of age for voluntary military service; land forces enlisted personnel are largely unprofessional foreign nationals (2005)

People

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 23.1% (male 106,853/female 102,713) 15-64 years: 72.9% (male 455,631/female 206,099) 65 years and over: 4% (male 26,689/female 9,244) (2007 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

15.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate [time series]

4.82 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Arab 40%, Indian 18%, Pakistani 18%, Iranian 10%, other 14%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

0.09% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 17.46 deaths/1,000 live births male: 20.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 14.16 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

Languages [time series]

Arabic (official), English commonly used as a second language

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 74.14 years male: 71.6 years female: 76.82 years (2007 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 89% male: 89.1% female: 88.6% (2004 census)

Median age [time series]

total: 31.9 years male: 37.3 years female: 23.1 years (2007 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Qatari(s) adjective: Qatari

Net migration rate [time series]

13.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Population [time series]

907,229 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.386% (2007 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim 77.5%, Christian 8.5%, other 14% (2004 census)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 2.211 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 2.887 male(s)/female total population: 1.852 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.75 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

none

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Qatar is a destination country for men and women from South and Southeast Asia who migrate willingly, but are subsequently trafficked into involuntary servitude as domestic workers and laborers; the problem of trafficking of foreign children as camel jockeys was thoroughly addressed by government action in 2005, but independent confirmation of the problem's complete elimination is not yet available tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Qatar has made noticeable progress in rescuing and repatriating child camel jockeys, establishing a shelter for abused domestic workers, and creating hotlines to register complaints; however, Qatar is placed on the Tier 2 Watch List for its failure to provide sufficient evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking in persons in 2005, particularly with regard to labor exploitation

Transportation

Airports [time series]

5 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2007)

Heliports [time series]

1 (2007)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 20 ships (1000 GRT or over) 574,969 GRT/856,057 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 2, chemical tanker 2, container 8, liquefied gas 2, petroleum tanker 4, roll on/roll off 1 foreign-owned: 7 (Kuwait 7) registered in other countries: 3 (Liberia 2, Panama 1) (2007)

Pipelines [time series]

condensate 319 km; condensate/gas 209 km; gas 1,024 km; liquid petroleum gas 87 km; oil 844 km (2006)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

Doha

Roadways [time series]

total: 1,230 km paved: 1,107 km unpaved: 123 km (1999)